Cult following

"Cult classic" redirects here. For the album by Blue Öyster Cult, see Cult Classic.

A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work,^[1] often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. A film, book, musical artist, television series, or video game, among other things, is said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fanbase.

A common component of cult followings is the emotional attachment the fans have to the object of the cult following, often identifying themselves and other fans as members of a community. Cult followings are also commonly associated with niche markets. Cult media are often associated with underground culture, and are considered too eccentric or anti-establishment to be appreciated by the general public or to be widely commercially successful.

Many cult fans express their devotion with a level of irony when describing such entertainment, considering it so bad that it is good. Sometimes, these cult followings cross the border to camp followings. Fans may become involved in a subculture of fandom, either via conventions, online communities or through activities such as writing series-related fiction, costume creation, replica prop and model building, or creating their own audio or video productions from the formats and characters.^[2]

Film

Main article: Cult film

 

The cult following for The Rocky Horror Picture Show emerged through its promotion as a midnight movie.

There is not always a clear difference between cult and mainstream media. Professors Xavier Mendik and Ernest Mathijs, authors of 100 Cult Films, argue that the devoted following among these films make them cult classics. In many cases, films that have cult followings may have been financial flops during their theatrical box office run, and even received mixed or mostly negative reviews by mainstream media, but are still considered a major success by small core groups or communities of fans.

Some cults are only popular within a certain subculture. The film Woodstock (1970) is especially loved within the hippie subculture, while Hocus Pocus (1993) holds cult status among American women born in the 1980s and early 1990s. Certain mainstream icons can become cult icons in a different context for certain people. Reefer Madness (1936) was originally intended to warn youth against the use of marijuana, but because of its ridiculous plot, overwhelming number of factual errors and cheap look, it became watched by audiences of marijuana-smokers and has gained a cult following.^[3]

Television

Main article: List of cult television shows

Certain television series develop a cult following after their cancellation, which may cause interest in renewal. Arrested Development, which was cancelled in 2006 after its third season, was renewed by Netflix in 2013 and received two additional seasons. Futurama was cancelled in 2003 after its fourth season on Fox, but was later picked up by Comedy Central for an additional three seasons due to the following it had developed, and it is planned to receive more content on the streaming service Hulu. Star Trek was cancelled after three seasons, but in broadcast syndication it gained a more substantial following, ultimately spawning a successful media franchise.

David Lynch's Twin Peaks ran on ABC for two seasons from 1990 to 1991, initially garnering high ratings and critical acclaim. Ratings and reception declined following the reveal of Laura Palmer's murderer, who was left intentionally unknown by Lynch. Eventually, the show was canceled, ending on a cliffhanger. It was not until 2017 that Twin Peaks returned as a limited series on Showtime, ending one of the longest hiatuses in television history.

Series often considered cult classics include the long-running BBC science fiction series Doctor Who,^[4] the ITC sci-fi thriller series The Prisoner,^[5] the Australian soap opera Prisoner: Cell Block H ^[6] and the mock animated talk show Space Ghost Coast to Coast aired on Cartoon Network, which then spawned many spin-offs and other shows that had a similar sense of humor as Coast to Coast when Adult Swim became a block on the network.

Video games

Some video games, often those with unique concepts that fail to gain traction with the mainstream audience, attract cult followings and can influence the design of later video games. An example of a cult video game is Ico (2001), an initial commercial flop that gained a large following for its unique gameplay and minimalist aesthetics, and was noted as influencing the design of Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (2013) and Rime (2017), among other games.^[7] Other games that have cult followings include EarthBound (1994), another unsuccessful game that later resulted in the creation of a "cottage industry" selling memorabilia to the EarthBound fandom,^[8] Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001), an unusually mature 3D platform game for the Nintendo 64 celebrated for its dark humor and story, ^[9] Yume Nikki (2004), a surreal free-to-play Japanese horror game,^[10] Psychonauts (2005), an at first unsuccessful platformer that has consistently kept one of the strongest fan followings,^[11] Hitman: Blood Money (2006), considered to many long time fans of the Hitman franchise to be the first and last great Hitman game, despite its outdated controls and gameplay, and not receiving deserved acclaim at the time,^[12] Alan Wake (2010), an action-adventure game whose story is modeled similar to a thriller television series format and has gained loyal followings despite its underselling,^[13] Spec Ops: The Line (2012), a critically acclaimed third-person shooter known for its portrayal of the "horrors of war" and the deep psychological impact of armed conflict on soldiers.^[14][15][16], and Dwarf Fortress (2006), a construction and management simulation and roguelike indie video game known for its roguelike cuboidal-grid world model and sometimes difficult text-based interface, rich and complex simulation gameplay, similarly rich procedural world generation and history of continuous development by a small team which continues as of 2023^[update].^[17][18]

Music

One of the earliest cult classics in rock was The Velvet Underground's 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico. While hugely influential, it originally flopped commercially and alienated radio stations, music retailers, and magazines, who found the content too controversial to market. Over the next decade, it received greater recognition from rock critics, who helped make the album more popular. The Zombies' 1968 album Odessey and Oracle was also originally a critical and commercial flop, failing to chart despite its single "Time of the Season" becoming a surprise hit the following year. While the Zombies disbanded just before its release, the album's status grew as a cult classic in the following decades.^[19] David Bowie's 1970 album The Man Who Sold the World also did not impact the record charts on its original release while receiving mixed reviews from critics. After Bowie achieved mainstream success in the early 1970s, its 1972 reissue reached number 24 on the UK Albums Chart, but only 105 in the US. The Man Who Sold the World's influence on future musicians, such as The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Gary Numan, as well as the dark wave genre, lent it a cult following in the music scene.^[19]

Punk rock has produced several albums with cult followings. The Ramones' 1976 self-titled debut album sold poorly and was critically overlooked on release. It was hugely influential on the then-young punk movement, and eventually sold well enough to earn a gold sales certification in 2014. The British post-punk band Magazine also released their debut, Real Life (1978), to little popular success, reaching only number 29 in the UK. Its subsequent acclaim as an innovative and influential work in the burgeoning post-punk genre earned it a reputation as a cult classic. In 1982, the American hardcore punk band Bad Brains released their self-titled debut exclusively on cassette, struggling to gain an audience in the vinyl-dominated marketplace. The appearance of the single "Pay to Cum" on the compilation album Let Them Eat Jellybeans! (1981) helped Bad Brains develop a following in the UK, while the album's musical innovation and growing influence later ensured it a cult-classic status among followers of hardcore punk.^[19]

Some alternative albums have also developed cult followings. The American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails released their 1989 debut Pretty Hate Machine to modest success on the Billboard 200, peaking at number 75. It developed an underground popularity in subsequent years and sold enough to receive a platinum RIAA certification in 1995, becoming one of the first independently released albums to accomplish the feat. Also in 1989, Nirvana's debut album Bleach was released to some positive notice from critics, but failed to impact record charts, until the band's massively successful 1991 album Nevermind drew further interest to it.^[19]

The R&B singer Bilal's second album, Love for Sale, became a cult classic^[20] after leaking in 2006 and being notoriously shelved by Interscope Records.^[21] The musically experimental album quickly developed a following and acclaim online, becoming what The Village Voice writer Craig D. Lindsey called "the black-music equivalent of Fiona Apple's once-shelved (and also notoriously bootlegged) album Extraordinary Machine".^[22]

Pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen's post-"Call Me Maybe" career has been called a cult success, particularly her third studio album, Emotion.^[23]

Japanese dub and dream pop band Fishmans gained a dedicated online cult following after the death of frontman Shinji Sato via word of mouth spread on imageboard and music forum sites throughout the 2000s and 2010s.^[24][25]

Advertising

Brands can also attain a cult following, sometimes due to prestige like Apple and Supreme, while others like Spam do so for cultural reasons.^[26] There are also many cult car brands ranging from Trabant^[27] to Volvo and even specific models like the Fiat 500,^[28] Ford Crown Victoria and Toyota AE86 have all spawned dedicated followings within the car enthusiast community.

See also

• List of cult music artists
• Sleeper hit
• Underground music

References

1. "Definition of CULT". Retrieved 3 June 2022.
2. . Archived from the original on 2007-05-13. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
3. Peary, Danny (1981). Cult Movies. New York: Delacorte Press. pp. 203–205. ISBN 978-0-440-01626-7.
4. Nussbaum, Emily (June 2012). "Fantastic Voyage". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
5. Jeffery, Morgan (January 5, 2015). "The Prisoner: Cult classic TV series to be revived for new audio drama". Retrieved January 7, 2017.
6. "Wentworth Prison: Prisoners return to cell block H". Daily Express. 31 August 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
7. "The Obscure Cult Game That's Secretly Inspiring Everything". WIRED. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
8. "Giving Thanks: Two New Books on a Cult Classic Embody Gaming's Rich Culture". USgamer.net. 2016-11-23. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
9. Ombler, Mat (2020-01-14). "Conker: Why Nintendo's Most Controversial Game Is Still One of Its Greatest". IGN. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
10. Frank, Allegra (2018-01-10). "A disturbing cult classic finally hits Steam, with a follow-up on the way". Polygon. Retrieved 2018-03-11.
11. Dutton, Fred (2012-03-16). "The Cult of Psychonauts". EuroGamer.net. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
12. Meer, Alec (2021-10-04). "Have you played… Hitman: Blood Money?". rockpapershotgun.com. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
13. Dring, Christopher (2021-10-04). "Why bother bringing back Alan Wake?". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 2022-03-30.
14. "Spec Ops: The Line review – apocalypse now". Metro. 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2019-12-12.
15. Spec Ops The Line... 5 Years Later, archived from the original on 2021-10-30, retrieved 2019-12-12
16. Spec Ops: The Line Review – IGN, 26 June 2012, retrieved 2019-12-12
17. Parkin, Jeffrey (2022-12-05). "Dwarf Fortress is indescribable — but let me try". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
18. Jackson, Gita (2019-03-15). "Dwarf Fortress Is Coming To Steam Because Its Developer Needs Healthcare". Kotaku. Retrieved 2023-02-04.
19. "10 Failed Albums That Became Cult Classics". whatculture.com. April 2, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
20. Gipson, L. Michael (2010). "Bilal – Airtight's Revenge (2010) (Review)". SoulTracks. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
21. "Bilal on World Cafe". NPR. January 26, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
22. Lindsey, Craig D. (February 25, 2013). "Bilal's New A Love Surreal Was Inspired By Salvador Dali". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
23. "Behind the Enduring Cult Popularity of Carly Rae Jepsen". Time. Retrieved 2021-02-09.
24. "Fishmans Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
25. "The Strange World of Fishmans". The Edge. 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
26. "How Spam Went From Hated Ration to Cult Classic". Retrieved 2022-08-29.
27. "Trabant: The East German car remains iconic". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
28. "Classic Fiat 500 joins Lego's Creator Expert series | CarAdvice". CarAdvice.com. Retrieved 2021-06-23.

Further reading

• Jancik, Wayne; Lathrop, Tad (1996). Cult Rockers: 150 of the most controversial, distinctive and intriguing, outrageous and championed rock musicians of all time. Pocket Books.